Statistics

We collect, analyse and publish statistics and management information on the devolved benefits Social Security Scotland is responsible for delivering. We do this by:

analysing data held and produced by Social Security Scotland
providing analytical advice

Our work helps Social Security Scotland, the Scottish Government, and other key users to monitor and improve their processes and outcomes.

We publish data to give the public accurate and impartial information on the characteristics of those applying for and receiving benefits we deliver, as well as providing details on our performance. Our work also ensures the organisation fulfils its statutory reporting requirements as a public sector organisation.

In order to ensure our statistics reflect the most up to date available information, all Social Security Scotland data series are revised each time these statistics are published. This allows our statistics to be updated to account for new information added to data sources and methodological improvements. For more details, please see Data and Methodology Changes.

Official Statistics

Social Security Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government and reports directly to Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Administration is an Official Statistics producer and includes the Scottish Government, along with executive agencies including Social Security Scotland.

All our statistics publications are defined as official statistics by the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. They are produced to robust professional standards and follow the guidance set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics.

Currently our statistics are being published as official statistics in development. Official statistics in development are defined as "official statistics that are undergoing a development; they may be new or existing statistics, and will be tested with users, in line with the standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics".

Some official statistics are also ‘Accredited Official Statistics’. This means they have been assessed by the independent UK Statistics Authority and are considered to be fully compliant with its Code of Practice for Statistics. We aim to have our statistics designated as Accredited Official Statistics in the future.

UK Statistics Authority

The UK Statistics Authority is an independent body operating at arm's length from government as a non-ministerial department, directly accountable to Parliament. Its objectives include the promotion and safeguarding of the production, publication, quality and comprehensiveness of official statistics that serve the public good, and ensuring good practice in relation to official statistics.

The Authority is also responsible for developing and maintaining the Code of Practice for Statistics and assessing all official statistics against this Code, before deciding whether they can be designated as 'Accredited Official Statistics'.

Further details regarding the assessment process can be found in the UK Statistics Authority website.

As part of the Scottish Government Statisticians Group, statisticians in Social Security Scotland work to the same governance and frameworks to produce and publish our official statistics. The links below provide further information on the way we work.

Please note that these links will take you to the Scottish Government Statistics webpages:

Publications and Forthcoming Publications

Our published statistical reports can be found on our Statistics publications page and on the Scottish Government Statistics webpages, and will be signposted from here.

A timetable of forthcoming publications can be found here.

Management information published by Social Security Scotland

Some management information publications produced by Social Security Scotland are available from the publication pages of the gov.scot website.

Management information is data that is used in the normal course of business to inform operational delivery, policy development or the management of organisational performance. It does not meet the requirements for Official Statistics, usually due to reasons relating to data quality and value. However, where it is felt appropriate for this data to be published, the core principles of the Code of Practice for Statistics are followed: the data is accessible, data quality and limitations are explained, and there is a clear separation between the published data and any policy or political message.

An example of management information that has been published is the weekly Scottish Child Payment data, which was published from 26 November 2020 to 3 March 2021, and can be found in the publication pages of this website.

A first management information release on Carer Support Payment covering applications received was published on 22 November 2023. A second release was published on 19 December 2023. Both can be found in the publication pages of this website.

A management information release on Child Winter Heating Payment and Winter Heating Payment, providing an update on payments, was published on 17 December 2024. This can be found in the publication pages of this website. Further management information releases will be published on 4 February 2025 and 4 March 2025, ahead of Official Statistics being published on 29 April 2025.

Code of practice for statistics

Government statisticians are bound by the Civil Service Code and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality. As an addendum to the Civil Service Code, the Statistics Authority code of practice sets out specific principles to guide the work and behaviour of statisticians.

Enquiries

Please contact us at MI@socialsecurity.gov.scot for further information on Social Security Scotland statistics and management information.

Statistics

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